Shards of Memory
by Drop And Die
Summary: AU. Aelita recalls her first experiences on Lyoko and with her friends. But what happens when a memory too painful to relive bursts through her self-control? Rated T. JxA, slight UxY. R&R!
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: **X.A.N.A.'s activated tower prevents me from executing my hostile takeover of Moonscoop. So no, I don't own Code Lyoko.

Thanks so much to the following reviewers: Mito, Ryan, Ria, Skyler, Mason, Tony, Nathan, and anyone else who participated.

' ' = Denotes thinking

After finishing another seemingly endless meditation session, Aelita stood up and allowed light to pour into her green eyes. Her bubble-gum pink hair and matching outfit stood in stark relief against the brownish-gray hills and rocks of the Mountain Sector. Trudging towards a white tower on the horizon she hears a soft clicking sound behind her. Aelita wheels around to face a Tarantula looking towards her from a few feet away. The two, one emblazoned with X.A.N.A.'s symbol, gaze at each other for a few seconds before breaking eye contact. The Tarantula turns away and wanders down a different path. Aelita's dull green eyes passively watch the monster disappear on the horizon, and then she slowly resumes her trek towards the nearest tower.

Aelita walks along wondering how long her existence would continue on Lyoko's desolate landscape. Knowing X.A.N.A.'s cruelty firsthand she concludes only an eternity or two of complete isolation loomed before her. Her once vibrant and wonderful life had deteriorated into nothing more than a meaningless existence. She couldn't help but stare at the dusty mountain path before her as she felt the emptiness clench at her insides. '_In that case, I might as well just end it.'_ Aelita quickly flings herself off the path into the Digital Sea below and relinquishes her grip on the world that had forsaken her. Immediately a pillar of blinding white light erupts into the sky where she touched the artificial water and vanished in that same instant. All is silent once more as if her actions never had occurred.

In the nearest tower, Aelita sighs with despair after regaining consciousness on the floor. '_Well, at least I can expect the usual result no matter where I jump. Even if oblivion would be preferable.' _Calling up a program to act as a mirror she stares back into her blank green eyes and fervently wishes that something would spark in their depths. The black stripes under her eyes resurrect Aelita's memory of her first strong emotion all those years ago and X.A.N.A's most terrible deed.

**-Flashback-**

For what seemed like the millionth time, Aelita snapped out of her meditation to feel the pulsations of yet another activated tower. '_When will he ever rest?'_

'_Probably not until you're dead_,' a cynical voice within her mind answered.

'_Well, where's your optimism today?'_ replied Aelita.

'_Wouldn't know, seeing as you obviously have it all_.' countered the voice.

Giving up on arguing with herself, Aelita jumps down into the waytower to teleport into the Forest Sector. Observing that the activated tower pulsed with a red glow, she wonders how to get past the three Blocks guarding the exit. '_Simple. Run at them and maybe they'll be too surprised to retaliate_,' pipes up a familiar voice.

Aelita considers the suggestion. _'Nah. For one it probably wouldn't work, and besides that just doesn't have a sense of style.'_

Formulating a plan, Aelita leaps into the path and back from the safety of her boulder. As she suspected, the first Block swiveled towards the rock. It debated on investigating the flash of pink by the boulder and then crawled forward. The other two monsters stayed in their original positions and watched for any tricks in the forest. Aelita slowly creeps around her boulder to the tower side while the Block skitters to her previous location.

'_Better be careful with this move; don't need to be having teatime in the Digital Sea. How she loved the quaint words she found on her many Internet trawls.'_ Shaking her head to focus, Aelita leaps over the boulder and kicks the unsuspecting Block off the path. A blazing pillar gushes into the air and warns the other Blocks around the tower. Forgetting about the giant giveaway of her actions, Aelita takes a shot to the chest and is thrown back towards the edge of the path.

Arms churning and a surprised look animating her emerald eyes she hurriedly jumps back behind her rock while laser fire flies over her head. Always having something to contribute, the voice pipes in _'Cut that one a little close didn't you?' _

'_Can't you see this is a really bad time to be distracting me?'_ quipped Aelita. The voice fell silent and in turn gave her an idea. She sank to her knees and released a pure note of song into the air. Weakened by the use of her magic, the elfin girl gazes in satisfaction as a mound of earth appears before her like a ramp. The Blocks around the tower become instantly confused, as their target disappeared behind a giant wall of earth. Aelita runs up the ramp, jumps high into the air with a back flip, and falls through the tower wall onto the bottom platform past the unsuspecting Blocks below. _'Now that's what I call a sense of style. Wouldn't you agree?' _The voice doesn't reply. She soars to the top of the platform and places her hand on the screen. AELITA. CODE: LYOKO. The tower deactivates itself as she routinely executes a return to the past.

With an impish smile on her face Aelita revels in victory after another successful stop of X.A.N.A. Perhaps she can learn more about the humans and their customs while her enemy sleeps. That smile immediately fades as she feels more pulsations and a stronger presence of evil. Rushing out of the tower into the Ice Sector, she sees 3 Krabes and 3 Blocks rushing toward her…examples of X.A.N.A.'s ever growing strength. With a yelp Aelita twists around and runs back into the tower while laser fire rains down. The monsters, all carrying the mark of both Lyoko and X.A.N.A., open fire upon the tower.

Keening in fear, Aelita curls into a ball and wonders what to do as the tower shakes. _'I can't ever seem to beat him for any length of time. Is it hopeless?_' A feeling of utter despair falls upon her and she wishes that this horrible sensation could be replaced with say, contentment? Research made that one sound nice. Her first strong emotion just had to be a depressing one. _'I seriously could use some help here.' _

'_Then ask for it._'


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer:** Jim caught me sneaking around after hours, and my plan to take Code Lyoko was foiled. No, I don't own Code Lyoko.

**-End Flashback-**

Aelita directed a wry smile at the thought of how innocent and naïve she once was while she sat in the tower. Unfortunately time had dealt a cruel blow that shattered any vestige of purity from her forever. As the memory of that blow surfaced from the depths of her mind, Aelita cried out and put her hands to her head. _'No! I can't relive it anymore! My self-control and sanity couldn't survive.'_ With all of her willpower Aelita represses the dreaded memory back where it belongs: in the shadows. Her vision focuses back on the silent tower walls as the internal battle ends.

Weary after the effort of repulsing the recollection, Aelita decided to travel the paths of Lyoko as she had countless times before. Pushing through the wall and gazing out at the Desert Sector, she wondered why X.A.N.A. even bothered with his torment of her. Once his greatest enemy, she now is a pawn of his will. She is forced to accept his torture that he inflicts upon her every second. Stuck here on Lyoko, forever alone with no way out. _'I really should figure out how many times I've thought about this. It's probably an astoundingly high number.'_ An amused smile flashed on her face like a ripple in the ocean and vanished.

She had no solace; no cleansing balm to soothe the burning remains of her heart. Well, there was always one thing in her mind that could bring a ghost of the once pure Aelita back. Thinking of him always restored her but inevitably led to the memory that she could not and would not allow to haunt her anymore. The sound of human footsteps behind her caught her attention and she froze. _'That is not any monster X.A.N.A. would send, and they don't even bother me anymore. I wish they did. What is it?'_ Spinning around, Aelita gazed into sapphire eyes she hoped every second to see once more but knew that she never would. Howling in her mind, the unstoppable flood of memories catapulted her into the past.

**-Flashback -**

"Whoa! What is this place?" Jeremie exclaimed as he came upon a dusty computer deep in an abandoned factory. _'If this computer is any good, think of all the programs I could run!'_ Giddy with excitement like any five year old before Christmas, Jeremie quickly ran to the console. Only then did he notice that it was actually running but in a dormant state. _'That's odd… how can a computer be running in a factory that has clearly been abandoned for years?'_ A thrill of discovery banished any worries Jeremie had as he touched a key. The computer immediately started with a deep hum and the flickering of a strange hologram. To Jeremie's surprise, a virtual albeit beautiful girl appeared on the screen and entranced him with her deep emerald eyes.

Aelita felt the supercomputer being activated. Shutting out the sounds of laser fire as the tower shook; she closed her eyes and focused on her link with the monitor. _'Who could that be? I've never known someone to wake the system out of the dormant state besides X.A.N.A.'_ Accessing the monitor program, Aelita appears on the screen and gazes upon her first human. He looked fairly normal from what she had learned already. He was a male with blond hair, a simple blue shirt, and some sort of device over his striking blue eyes. In her excitement to finally be able to talk to a person from Earth, Aelita overlooked the strange feeling looking into his eyes gave her. "Hello there! I'm Aelita, and your name is?"

"I…I…You can talk? Err...my name is Jeremie," came the stuttered reply.

"Well, how do you do it…oh! Nice to meet you was what I was looking for. I know programs generally don't talk, but I've had acceptable language parameters for as long as I can remember on Lyoko," responded Aelita.

Figuring he might as well get the pleasantries over with before asking what she was talking about, Jeremy said "Nice to meet you as well. Language parameters? Lyoko? Forgive me, but I really have no clue what's going on here. I just found this old computer here and was going to play around with it for something to d- I mean, I came along." Jeremie scratched his head at her sudden laugh. _'This is a program? No way! I've never seen something virtual react like this. And her voice is amazing. Wait, what does that have to do with anything? Focus!'_

Aelita wondered why she giggled at his bumbling conversation. She certainly hadn't found some of the more idiotic arguments on the Internet all that funny. But there was something about him that cheered her up. Then again, she was trapped in a tower by monsters and anything would be better than focusing on that. Now to try to convince Jeremie that Lyoko existed.

She launched her explanation before he could begin to doubt. "It's a pretty odd story by human standards but I'll try to make some sense. For as long as I can remember, I've existed in this world called Lyoko with another being called X.A.N.A. I guess if you looked at it like the majority of your fantasy novels, I would be the good hero while X.A.N.A. stands for evil. He will stop at nothing to eliminate the chaos he perceives in your kind. Using these towers on my world, he exerts his influence on Earth. I'm the only one who can deactivate the towers. So far so good?"

Jeremie found himself contemplating the truth of her words. "Yes, it seems logical to me up to this point. It's almost like a video game. I'm assuming X.A.N.A. tries to stop you? And how? Wait! How come we've never noticed?"

"Well…" Aelita trailed off for a second while gathering her thoughts. "Yes, whenever I attempt to stop an activated tower X.A.N.A. sends his monsters after me. They shoot lasers and try to delete me before I can do anything. Evading or beating them used to be a snap but lately they have gotten stronger and more numerous. Your kind doesn't remember the effects of the towers because I activate a program that sends everything 24 hours into the past." Looking at Jeremy's puzzled expression, Aelita knew she had to create a frame of reference he could understand. _'Video game? That's it!'_

"Jeremie, look at it like Lyoko was a video game. The monsters and I have lifepoints. When they hit zero we lose a life and its game over. They shoot lasers and I try to outsmart them or use my ability to create or remove terrain. Unfortunately, X.A.N.A. makes more monsters while I only have one life. Anyway, the objective of this video game is for me to shut down the towers before they can wreak havoc on earth. And the return to the past is like a reset button!" Aelita cracked a grin when she saw the spark of realization in his eyes. _'Being a program that remembers everything has its advantages. Why couldn't Lyoko be exactly like a video game? Infinite lives would be useful.'_

Jeremie marveled in wonder as he took in all the information the pink-haired girl unloaded. Then a tinge of sadness crept into his heart as he realized she knew nothing of Earth beyond the Internet. Digital information just couldn't compare to the reality of sun beaming on your face and the wind rustling your hair. He vowed to someday give her the experience of his world. _'Whoa. Did I just promise to make a virtual being into a human? Well it'd definitely be an interesting journey.'_ Noticing her smile had faded into an expression of worry, Jeremie asked "Aelita. What's wrong?"

Extraordinarily captivating as this conversation is, the sounds of the tower falling apart remind Aelita of her situation. The smile fades off her face and anxiety replaces it as she opens her mouth to ask this sweet boy for aid. The voice chimes in, _'So, like a knight in shining armor? And how will the damsel in distress repay him?' _Mentally shushing herself, Aelita asks Jeremie in a quavering voice: "Jeremie, right now I'm stuck in a tower while six of X.A.N.A.'s monsters blast away at it. I don't think the tower will last much longer and then I'm finished for good. Then nothing will be able to stop X.A.N.A.'s machinations on Earth. There is a program that is connected to the scanners on the floor below that transfers humans onto Lyoko. I can't run that program from this side, so you'll have to figure it out. If I can get some extra help in clearing these monsters I'd be forever grateful." Aelita knew he would help her before he uttered his response._  
_

"I would love to, Aelita." Jeremie said instantly. Her resulting look of utter happiness made a blush creep up his neck. Clearing his throat and hoping Aelita didn't notice, he continues with his plan. "I'll grab Odd, Ulrich, and Yumi to transfer to Lyoko. You're going to need me at the computer to run the programs and keep everything monitored while the group is fighting. I'm sure they'll want to help. I'll be back as fast as I can!" He quickly sets down the headset on the keyboard and rushes out of the supercomputer room. _'I was never one for running, but this is a special case.'_

Aelita watched Jeremie climb the rungs and move to the upper floor of the factory. Once he was gone, her beaming expression faded to a guise of concern. No longer did she have a fascinating person to talk to and the laser fire was cracking her façade of calm. _'I hope I can last; my fate is now in Jeremie's hands. Wonder what the redness creeping up his neck at the end was though. I'll ask him later. For now all I can do is wait.' _Aelita dived from the top platform down to the tower's base and entered her usual meditation position with legs crossed and eyes closed. The ritual soothed her worries and rejuvenated her for the conflict ahead.


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer -** I couldn't get Jeremie's hacking skills, so no I don't own Code Lyoko.

**-continued flashback-**

"Aelita, are you still there?" Jeremie's query snaps her out of the meditation trance and her heart soars as she realizes he's back. She closes her eyes to better see him and notices three other puzzled faces besides Jeremie's. "Oh, so these are your friends you mentioned. It's good to meet you all, my name is Aelita. Thank you so much for coming to help." She looks at them expectantly.

Three identical shocked gasps reach her ears right after her pronouncement. Odd, Ulrich, and Yumi echo, "Help you?" while Jeremie reddens as he forgot to mention exactly why he brought them here. Jeremie stutters, "We…Well, she is stuck on Lyoko and we need you three to go and save her from some monsters." Aelita shakes her head in exasperation.

Odd, picking up on one word in Jeremie's statement, replies "Monsters? Do we get to kill them?" Jeremie chuckles as he flicks through the scanner program. "Well Odd, that's the plan. You can party and be useful at the same time!"

"Wait, go to Lyoko? But isn't that a virtual world?" Yumi pipes up. _'And I thought Jeremie was on something when he asked us to come here. Then again, he might be anyway.'_

"Aha!" Jeremie rapid-fire typed a few sentences into the supercomputer and read the data on the scanners. Falling into his usual role as genius of the group, Jeremie instantly replies: "Yes, you have to go to Lyoko. There are scanners downstairs that will scan your DNA and convert you into digital avatars that can fight off the monsters. Well, that's the theory anyway. If I'm wrong, it could be pretty disastrous. The program looks perfectly fine from my analysis though."

Ulrich finally joins in with a nervous "Disastrous? And you want us to get in that thing?"

"Trust me Ulrich; it won't be a big deal. And the bonus is: if you die on Lyoko, you should simply reappear on earth in your bodies. Unfortunately Aelita is gone if she is deleted so you three will be protecting her." replies Jeremie.

Aelita spies a crack in the tower wall from a laser shot and interjects herself into the conversation. "Ulrich, Yumi, and Odd, I really don't have much time. The tower will shatter within the next ten minutes. Just assume it is true for now and I will show you the reality or virtual reality if you will, here on Lyoko. Please hurry downstairs and put yourselves in the scanners. Jeremie will do the rest." _'I hope that gets them moving. Why do they bicker so much?'_

The three teens look at each other and then Ulrich sighs. "Alright, we'll go. Just nudge us in the right direction." Jeremie and Aelita both crack a relieved smile, then Jeremie points at the elevator on the side of the wall "Just hit the down button, and you'll be there." The three kids head into the elevator and sink deeper into the factory.

Aelita turns her full attention back to Jeremie. "Thanks so much, how can I ever pay off this debt?" Jeremie reddens again at her words, which reminds her to ask him what that is. "Oh, and why does your face turn red?" Turning nearly crimson now, Jeremie stutters out "I-I…it's called a blu-blush. Generally happens when I'm embarrassed or I-" He immediately clamps his mouth shut as he realized he was about to end that sentence with a "when I like someone." _'I need to pay attention to the task at hand. Besides, she won't like me.'_

Aelita was curious at Jeremie's display but shrugs it off as she feels three entities entering Lyoko. "Jeremie they're here! Where did you drop them off? Wonder how their virtualization process went?"

"Well according to the super computer, they're behind an icy ridge about fifty feet away from the tower." Jeremy stifles a giggle as he sees the three character cards that were created. "They're probably trying to figure out what exactly their weapons are." _'Wow, the outfits were created by their subconscious mind? Poor Odd, he has some serious issues.'_

The three teens were shocked as they dropped onto the virtual world of Lyoko. Ulrich resembled a samurai of old with a long katana and a yellow bandana tied around his forehead. Yumi was shocked at her geisha getup and wondered what exactly her weapons were. Noticing two intricately designed fans, she pulled them out and felt a power emanating from them. Odd was the strangest of them all since he best resembled a giant purple cat with claw gloves and a tail. He couldn't find an obvious weapon. Searching his clothing, Odd brushed his claw glove and an arrow flew out and ricocheted off the wall past Ulrich's head. Ulrich jumped a foot in the air and Odd smirked. "Cool. Now if you two are done figuring yourselves out, what say we go rescue a princess in a tower? Just like a fairy tale." Finishing his statement, Odd jumped over the icy ridge and screamed out a battle cry to X.A.N.A.'s forces.

Abandoning their efforts to destroy the tower, the Blocks and Krabes turned to face this new threat. Odd is unable to stop his run across the slick ice and crashes directly into the nearest Krabe. The hapless monster flies towards the edge but its claw pierces Odd's shoulder as it flails for footing before falling into the Digital Sea. "Odd! You just lost twenty life points! Remember, you and Aelita only have 100 to start with! Run out or fall into the Digital Sea, and you're devirtualized!" Jeremie exclaims.

Noticing something Jeremie forgot to mention, Aelita rushes out of the tower and jumps behind a nearby ice spike before the monsters notice. "Also, if you fall into the Digital Sea, you are deleted like me. So one swim down there, and Jeremie can't pull you back. Keep that in mind." She decides to tame her gung-ho attitude and hide behind the rock for the time being.

Pulling himself up a few feet from the precipice, Odd hastily jumps back into a laser shot from a Block. "That's another ten life points Odd," mentions Jeremie.

Shaking their heads in exasperation at Odd's foolhardy charge, Ulrich and Yumi engage the two Blocks closest to them. A barrage of laser fire lands all around them but nothing manages to hit. "Good thing these guys are lousy shots!" exclaims Yumi as she flicks open a fan to throw. Ulrich was reminded to not tempt fate by two lasers hitting him in the chest in quick succession. "There goes twenty points for you Ulrich, watch out." says Jeremie. Ulrich shrugs it off and neatly slices through the Block that struck him. _'Oh how sweet revenge is. Take that you weird cube.'_

Yumi tenses her arm to throw and with a"Haiii!" she releases the fan into the air. It slices across the Block's X.A.N.A. symbol and the monster explodes into pieces that flicker out of existence. Yumi neatly snatches the fan out of the air as it returns. Elated at her first kill, she doesn't notice the Krabe that sends her flying into the wall with a large pincer. Jeremie winces as he reads her character card after that blow. "Wow Yumi, you got hit pretty hard. That move halved your life points." While one Krabe and the remaining Block engaged the Lyoko warriors, the last Krabe advanced on Aelita's position.

Aelita peeks around the icy barrier to observe the battle and immediately takes a laser to the head from the incoming Krabe. The voice gleefully states its reaction to that little stunt while she rubs her sore head. _'Oh you're a genius. Did you get to learn anything from that besides the fact that the Krabe is a good sniper? Headshot!'_ Sighing at her mental abuser, the elfin girl ducks around the rock as the Krabe strikes down over it with its sharp appendages. Aelita cries out as a pincer gores her arm but recovers and kicks out at one of its supporting legs. Bereft of support the pink crustacean tumbles into the ground. Suddenly she hears a whistling sound past her head and watches the Krabe explode. "Nice shot Odd!"

Smiling at the compliment while simultaneously wincing at yet another laser hit, Odd replies "No problem princess. You really need to avoid those pincers. By the way, Einstein, where are our life total counts at?"

Jeremie quickly scans the character cards with a frown. "Your little Leroy Jenkins maneuver cost you 70 life points. I give you kudos for actually asking where you're at though. Yumi and Ulrich both have 50. Aelita is down to 40, protect her!" As if to prove his final command wrong, the last Krabe sends Ulrich sliding into the tower then takes a shot at Aelita in the open. Yumi's fan and Odd's arrow burst it apart a second later. The laser sends Aelita to her knees and sparks play around her shoulder. A note of panic in his voice, Jeremie yells, "Ulrich, you're down to 20 and so is Aelita. Focus all! Remember we still need to get the tower deactivated!"

Shrugging off the anxiety she feels, Aelita flees the last Block and hopes her protectors manage the job. Yumi stands guard while Ulrich and Odd charge the defending Block from both directions. Arrows fly past the Block and Ulrich swings his sword at the strange eye on the monster. The Block fires three shots at Odd before Ulrich's gleaming katana shreds it into oblivion. All three lasers hit Odd in the chest while an errant arrow strikes Ulrich. Both warriors gasp in shock as they flicker apart and disappear. Feeling strangely drained Odd and Ulrich fall out of the scanner in the factory then run for the elevator to join Jeremie.

"This is not good, not good at all!" Jeremie moans with his hands in his hair as he watches the screen. Odd and Ulrich look over his shoulder at the unfolding events. Aelita is in critical condition with only Yumi to guard her. "Aelita and Yumi, you're going to have to rush to the activated tower before X.A.N.A. marshals more forces! It's to the north of you. Hurry!" Nodding their agreement, the two girls set off at a brisk run towards a cragged glacier and the activated tower inside.

While Aelita and Yumi approach the tower, Jeremie scans the surrounding area for any monsters. "Okay, some good news. With his main force dispatched X.A.N.A. could only muster up two Blocks for defense. You better not get hit!" Yumi nods and motions for Aelita to stay back. The geisha peers at the two Blocks wandering around the tower. _'I hope I can strike them from here. Now to see how far these fans really go.'_ She walks into the open and throws both fans at the surprised Blocks. Recovering fast, one Block shoots off an icy ring while the other fires a laser.

The gleaming fans whirl through the air and slice neatly through both Blocks. Twin explosions accompany a disintegrating Yumi as the ice ring and laser strike her simultaneously. "Run, Aelita!" she yells before materializing on earth. Aelita immediately sprints into the safety of the red tower and soars to the top platform. She grins at how it turned out and places her palm on the interface. AELITA. CODE: LYOKO. "Tower deactivated."

The group clustered around the supercomputer screen utters a collective sigh of relief as Aelita's smiling face appears on the screen. "Thanks so much, I couldn't believe how well you did! Do you believe Jeremie now?" Odd laughs as the three warriors nod their heads. "That we do Aelita. What happens now?" asks Yumi.

"Well, Jeremie can launch a return to the past. I don't know if I'll see you again, but I appreciate you protecting me for that battle." The four humans shake their heads immediately. Aelita doesn't notice as she turns her head aside in disappointment at losing her newfound companions.

"No Aelita, we aren't abandoning you. We'll be here for whenever you need us," says Jeremie quietly. Happiness wells up in the pink-haired girl's face as she realizes the impact of those words.

"But why? I'm just a program," says Aelita. Jeremie shushes her gently. "No you're more than that. Aelita, you're our friend." With that statement, Aelita knew that her life couldn't be any better.

'_I have friends!'_

**-End Flashback-**


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer: **I still don't own Code Lyoko. Not for lack of trying.

Freed from the mists of memory, Aelita finds herself on her knees with a boy standing in front of her. While the teenager resembled Jeremie Aelita knew it couldn't be him. Rather than being the one she missed with her entire being, this caricature aimed to taunt her. The ashen hair, pale face, and black shirt and shorts made her realize who it was. She opened her mouth and breathed out the name of her mortal enemy: "X.A.N.A…" The boy smirked and coldness radiated from him while a crimson X.A.N.A. symbol materialized on his black shirt. Running a hand through his ashen blond hair, this Jeremie doppelganger resembled a clearly evil vampire.

"I'm surprised you're still functioning. I analyzed that a hundred lonely years on Lyoko would snap your mind. But as always you're determined to prove me wrong. How has that worked out for you so far? I return with the same offer I gave you all those years ago. Renounce the humans and help me eradicate them from existence. Then again, there really aren't many left." X.A.N.A. chuckled menacingly. Aelita reeled in shock at his words. _'A hundred years? How much longer must this go on?'_

Aelita gazed around at the silent hills and mountains that surrounded her. A hundred years wandering this virtual world alone. Once more, despair crushed her soul as X.A.N.A. waited for her response. _'Is defying him even worth it? What he did to me left my life in ruins but almost anything is better than this twilight existence.'_ Running a hand through her pink hair, Aelita smiled ruefully at that human habit. Here she felt nothing except her internal agony.

Even though the landscape had been under her scrutiny countless times, it revealed a new truth to her. This land had been her prison for years but she was still able to fight. Humanity had been betrayed by technology and the world was in the evil AI's hands. X.A.N.A. had made one critical misjudgment. Aelita was still alive and she remained the only one who had a chance of stopping humanity's slow destruction.

Aelita struggles to her feet and then looks back into those eyes. Over her initial surprise at seeing them, she could tell the sapphire orbs weren't Jeremie's. Instead of sweet warmth X.A.N.A.'s only emanated malicious ice. Aelita considered surrendering once again but the thought was instantly swept away by a surge of rage. Her face tightened in anger. _'No matter the consequences to myself I will never give up fighting. It's the least my friends deserve.' _

"No! You don't understand how humans really are. Sure they're chaotic and unpredictable but out of the illogical stew of their actions come some of the greatest things on Earth." A spark shone in her eyes as she thought about the hours spent talking with Jeremie and her other friends. Aelita learned so much from them and they never complained about the debt she owed. Friendship, happiness, and love changed who she was for the better. _'Even if it has been a hundred years, and there are countless years ahead of me, I will have the memories of laughter and life to sustain me.'_

X.A.N.A. wondered why Aelita even bothered as he watched her outburst. He had crushed her a hundred years ago and yet she still persisted in defiance. Those paltry human emotions were powerful in certain cases. Well, what a hundred years of isolation couldn't do maybe ten seconds of action could. He uttered a cold chuckle as a plan formed in his mind. _'So, Aelita missed her true love as the humans call it. That love will be her undoing. A twisted version of Jeremie didn't work; I'll try the real thing.' _Focusing his vast processing powers, X.A.N.A. morphs into a perfect replica of Jeremie based on ancient supercomputer files. Before making his move he reprogrammed Lyoko to ensure that Aelita would feel it.

Aelita stood transfixed as all of a sudden Jeremie stood before her. Even though part of her brain yammered that it couldn't be real, the virtual girl's brilliant emerald eyes still feasted on the sight of him. The sheer emotional storm raging inside her masked the subtle change in her code. Giving Aelita's conflicted mind no chance to gather itself, Jeremie's soft kiss shattered the last vestiges of her self-control. The first physical feeling in a hundred years raced through her nerves and allowed the dreaded remembrance to surface. Finally freed, the memory of the first kiss swallowed Aelita's soul. X.A.N.A. released her and the girl slumped to the ground with staring eyes, already lost in the depths of her mind. The Jeremie clone smirked at how easy that was.

X.A.N.A. released a triumphant laugh at another plan executed flawlessly.


	5. Chapter 5

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Code Lyoko. I'm still working on the supercomputer.

**-Flashback- **

'_Being human kind of sucks.'_ Her first thought in a new body popped up right after the blinding light forced her eyes shut again. Light was never a problem on Lyoko. Virtual worlds didn't have such bothersome problems as too much or too little sun. Aelita lay on the bottom of the scanner trying to get used to the million things humans did unconsciously. Flexing her arm, Aelita gasped involuntarily at the feeling of her shirt moving across the skin. So this is what she had been missing her whole life. Aelita knew that taste, touch, and smell weren't available to her but until now she never realized how strong they were.

"Guys, do you think she's all right? After all, this procedure was incredibly risky." Jeremie fretted and stepped towards the scanner. Yumi put a hand on his shoulder to calm him down.

"Of course she's fine. We already know she's breathing. Aelita just needs some time to get used to being human." Aelita smiled at Jeremie's concern for her. "See? Aelita just smiled."

Resolving to at least stand up before another battle with the hated light, Aelita moved her feet outside the scanner. _'They make it look so easy. Now how do I do this…? There's no time to learn like the present.' _ Decision made, Aelita stood up for the first time. Then promptly fell down for the first time. Luckily flailing her arms found a victim she could use as support. As her hands went around someone's back, her brain was flooded with sensation from the warmth radiating off the body to the smooth feeling of the shirt against her cheek. Aelita heard the shocked gasp that mirrored her own and instantly knew it was Jeremie she grabbed.

Pushing back slightly, Aelita tried once again to see something besides a wall of light. Her emerald eyes opening in a squint, Aelita could make out Jeremie's sweet crimson face. _'He really does blush a lot, doesn't he? It's cute.' _ Her pupils finally adjusted to the brightness and she stiffened in wonder. Everything was so clear compared to Lyoko. She roamed her eyes across his red face: the strands of blond hair, the metallic gleam of his glasses, and finally through the glasses to those sapphire eyes. After a year of conversation, friendship, and virtual reality, she had made it to Earth. A giant smile appeared and Aelita gave Jeremie her first hug. "Hey."

Jeremie replied with a stammered greeting of his own. Aelita found herself lost in a sea of arms as her friends cheered and rushed in for a group hug. Tears of joy splashed down her face as she could finally be with her friends. They broke apart but Aelita refused to leave Jeremie's arms. Noticing this, Odd sniggered. "Well aren't those two special. Only took a year for you to find a girlfriend, Einstein?" Feeling a blush of her own, Aelita stepped back while Odd, Ulrich, and Yumi started laughing.

Jeremie sighed in mortification and regret then motioned for the group to move up to the supercomputer level. Aelita followed close behind while the rest of the group continued to giggle. _'I'll have to get back at Odd. Somehow.' _ The clang of the elevator doors made her jump. "Jeremie, how long do you think it will take for me to get used to all these new sensations?"

Turning to look at her, Jeremie replied, "I have no idea. If you find yourself overwhelmed, just tell us and we'll try to help." His sentence finished in a whisper as he was struck by how beautiful she was. Aelita smiled in response and listened in wonder to the clanking of the elevator. Her smile turned impish as she thought of a typical prank kids played on each other. Sticking her leg out perfectly when Odd walked past her, Aelita giggled as Odd hit the floor with an "Oomph!" of surprise. Odd glared daggers at Aelita from the floor then grabbed her ankle and yanked. Aelita let out a yelp and reflexively shot her arms out for something to hold on to as she tumbled to the floor. Her hands closed on two different shirts and pulled. Ulrich and Jeremie joined her and Odd on the floor as Yumi leaned against the wall laughing. The four teens disentangled themselves and mutually decided that was enough…for now.

Aelita ran into the room and gazed at where she once lived. That computer seemed so small now,even though it was her entire world. Now her world was one of her own making on Earth. Today she was not going to worry about anything involving X.A.N.A. or responsibilities. Simply put, Aelita wanted to have fun. Linking her arm in Jeremie's, she turned to the group and asked, "So, what are we doing first?" _'Ah, Jeremie is getting used to me. No blush that time. Won't be hard to bring it back if I want.'_ Aelita smirked at the thought of Jeremie blushing and relaxed while the other teens argued what they would do for her first day on Earth.

The Lyoko gang meandered through the factory and onto the bridge. Aelita gazed in delight at her first real view of the outside world. The crystal blue sky and puffy clouds hung over the varied buildings and splashes of greenery. Sunlight tinted everything with the barest hint of gold. "It's so beautiful…I've been missing this all along? I will never be able to thank you enough." Yumi gave her a quick hug. "No need, Aelita. Being our friend is all we ask. Now, if you are ready, let's make this day a memorable one for you." Aelita nodded her agreement and tightened her grip on the one who already made it memorable.

Looking up at Jeremie, the bubbly pink-haired girl asked, "So, how good are you at racing? I'll be waiting at the end of the bridge!" With that said Aelita took off and heard a multitude of footsteps. The wind flying through her hair and pounding of unused muscles made running magnificent. Aelita's head start wasn't enough to stop Ulrich from taking first. She noticed Jeremie passing her and pulled on his arm to send him farther back. Aelita laughed at Jeremie's expression and took second. Panting, Odd brought up the rear. "Einstein, when did you get so fast? It's not like you ever go to P.E. class." Odd asked. Jeremie smirked and replied, "I jog occasionally. You just never see me. Aelita, I'm going to get you for that bit of cheating." Aelita winked at him.

"What? No way! Any time spent exercising would be time not talking to Aelita. We all know how much you hate anything that drags you away from the computer." Odd replied.

"To be honest, Aelita is the one who forces me to jog. And eat sometimes. I was too busy working on the materialization program to bother with much else."

"We obviously know that much, Jeremie. You were a ghost for a while" says Ulrich. "Glad to see Aelita is keeping you in line."

Never passing up an opportunity to tease Jeremie, Odd wisecracks, "Yeah well, that's what girlfriends are for, right Einstein? Ow!" He rubs his sore shoulder where Aelita punched him for the remark. "Great, it's another Yumi. My day is ruined." Yumi punches the other shoulder. "Hey! What is with all this abuse? Jeremie, Ulrich, a little help here?" Both guys shook their heads and backed away a step.

Yumi and Aelita shared a grin. "See Odd? These two actually have common sense. Which is why we like them and not you!" jokes Yumi. Odd pretends a hurt look but immediately laughs. "Yeah you like those two don't you girls? At least you just admitted it." Both girls turn slightly pink and continue walking. Shaking their heads, Jeremie and Ulrich grab Odd and head into the city.

The sights and sounds of the city amazed Aelita as the group spent the afternoon walking aimlessly. Cars, conversations, merchants hawking their wares, and the hundred other little sounds that were background noise to other people created a rich cacophony for her. The three times Aelita became overwhelmed a few seconds in Jeremie's arms soothed the edges of panic. Besides, she quite liked seeing him turn pink. It was definitely her color. Crossing a busy intersection, Aelita notices a strange hollow sensation in her abdomen. She puts a hand to her stomach, stops, and turns to Jeremie. "Umm, what's this empty feeling I'm having right now?"

Odd turns to look at her. "Princess, you're feeling what I always feel. Hunger! Speaking of which, I need some food right now. There's even a burger joint over there. We'll get you set up." With a yell Odd beckons for the group to follow him to the restaurant across the street.

"Oh Aelita, I totally forgot about food. I'm sorry, let's follow Odd." With that said Jeremie grabs her hand and pulls her through the intersection right before the light changes. It was Aelita's turn to blush as she felt the warmth of his hand surge up her arm. _'Why is he the only one that feels so warm?' _Shaking it off, she followed him inside the restaurant.

"Well, this is a cute little place," observed Aelita. The place was set up like an old time diner with plenty of memorabilia from America. "What do they serve here again?"

"Only the best burgers around! I suggest the bacon cheeseburger, bacon makes everything better." answers Odd. The group sighs with exasperation. "Yes, we know bacon makes everything better. Didn't you put that on cereal once? Or was it a peach? Either way, nasty." Yumi shudders at the thought.

Odd thinks a bit. "Yeah, it was definitely a peach. Delicious. Anyway, what will Aelita order for her first meal?" The waitress comes by and asks what the group would like to drink before heading to a nearby table. "Aelita, why don't you try a soda or something? Water is nice but it doesn't have much taste." Jeremie suggests.

Aelita's eyes roam the menu, but find nothing that jumps out at her. _'Well, might as well go with both their suggestions. I wonder how good bacon is. Odd seems to love it.'_ Aelita folded the menu closed and snuggled closer to Jeremie who put an arm around her shoulders. Yumi stopped the upcoming joke from Odd with a punch. He closed his mouth and winced.

Oblivious to the taunt she just avoided, Aelita listens to Jeremie explain a program he is working on for fun. Judging by the bemused expressions on everyone else's face, she was the only one who understood. A smile grew on her face as she thought about how easy it was to be with Jeremie. The waitress startled her out of the reverie and asked for Aelita's order. "Oh! Err…a coca cola and a bacon cheeseburger?" Wondering if she did that correctly, Aelita paid close attention to how the others ordered. Apparent she had done it well; Aelita relaxed once more and winced at a loud growl from her stomach. _'That food better be done fast.'_

After ten minutes that stretched into infinity, the sandwiches arrived. The waitress efficiently dropped off the steaming burgers and left them to eat the meal. Aelita's stomach let out a deafening noise as the scents reached her nose. Ulrich chuckled and said, "Well, looks like we have another Odd in the group. The lunch lady will have to whip up twice as much now!" Sharing a laugh, the teens leaned towards Aelita as she picked up the juicy burger and took her first bite.

Aelita thought everything was wonderful so far but nothing could top taste. _'Now I realize why society seems to revolve around food.' _The taste of the burger seemed to explode in her mouth, from the fresh lettuce to the deliciously crisp bacon. _'Odd has a point. Bacon is amazing.' _ Jeremie motioned towards the soda and she took a sip. Cloying sweetness enveloped her mouth and she closed her eyes. Barely giving herself time to breathe, she chomps down while the others turn to their respective meals.

Odd leaned across the table and nudged Jeremie with an elbow. "Hey Einstein, Aelita there seems to really enjoy her meat, right?" Aelita looked up from her plate and nodded enthusiastically, then realized Jeremie was beet red and Odd, Ulrich, and Yumi were slumped in their booths laughing. "What did I miss?" she asked.

Yumi quickly shook her head. "Trust me Aelita, you don't want to know. That was pretty bad, even by Odd's standards."

"Hey, at least my shoulders were spared abuse this ti-ow! Okay Jeremie, I deserved that." said Odd, rubbing his shoulder at yet another blow delivered by Jeremie.

Ulrich joined in. "You know Odd, at this rate you'll be spending a lot of time in the infirmary. Perhaps hold back?"

"What's the fun in that? These two are just ripe for the picking. Anyway, I'm hungry. Enough talking!" With those parting words Odd battled his burger to the death and won handily.

Curious at the whole exchange, Aelita looked at Jeremie. His shrug let her know that it was just Odd being...well...odd. Smiling at the horrible pun, Aelita leaned against his shoulder and dug back into the food. _'Can this day get any better?' _


	6. Chapter 6

**Disclaimer:** Enlisting Odd to help take over Moonscoop was a horrible idea. No, I don't own Code Lyoko.

**-continued flashback-**

The waning sun cast a pall of twilight over the city as the teenagers headed for the park. They had to be at Kadic Academy before full dark but the group decided they could sneak in after curfew. Aelita was torn between seeing as much as she could in one day and getting a chance to rest. She enjoyed the easy conversation as the kids wandered towards a deserted section of the park. Aelita spied a picturesque fountain in between the trees and motioned for the others to follow. Listening to the continuous spray, Aelita dipped her hand in the cool liquid. "Wow, water is so awesome. You swim in it?"

Jeremie sat next to her. "Yep, swimming is definitely one of the highlights of summer. We don't swim in the winter, since it's too cold." Engrossed in the tiny ripples playing about her fingers, Aelita didn't notice the grin on Jeremie's face. "Speaking of which, why don't you take your first swim?" Aelita wrenched her head towards him and scooted farther away.

"You wouldn't throw me in…right?" Before she could do anything Jeremie picked her up. "Hey, put me down!" Her protest dwindled away along with her breath as she twined her arms around his neck and looked into his eyes. _'I think have the same effect on him.' _ A good ten seconds passed before Ulrich decided to break up their moment. He ran up and pushed the bedazzled couple into the fountain. Their shared scream of surprise and the resulting splash sent the other three into the grass breathless with laughter. The merriment faded as a drenched Jeremie helped an equally dripping Aelita out of the water. "Ulrich!" Jeremie growled and headed for the three miscreants.

Aelita enjoyed the sensation of water running down her body and into a puddle on the concrete. Deciding it was too quiet for her tastes, she wiped the sodden pink hair out of her eyes and pushed Jeremie back in before he could take a step. Yumi and Ulrich grabbed each other to keep from falling down laughing. Odd whooped. "Way to go princess! Nothing like adding insult to injury!"

Aelita grinned at the soaked boy sitting in the fountain. "Need a little help?" she cooed. Jeremie looked at her with revenge dancing in his blue eyes as he replied: "Aelita, I'm perfectly fine. You, on the other hand, could use some help of your own."

"I'm out of your reach though, ha!" taunted Aelita. Jeremie shook his head. "True, you're out of my reach. But the three people behind you can grab you easily." Finishing that statement, Jeremie chuckled as Aelita whirled to see Ulrich, Odd, and Yumi sneaking up on her. The chuckle morphed into a wheeze as Aelita landed on him with another splash.

For the second time in as many minutes, Aelita found herself breathless when looking into Jeremie's eyes. _'I know he's breathless too. But this time it's because of my weight landing on him.' _ Figuring she should make the most of it, Aelita arranged herself comfortably in his arms. The combination of the cool water and his warm chest closed her eyes and sent the tired girl into a land of dreams.

Odd, Yumi, and Ulrich walked up to the fountain and wondered what to do. Jeremie didn't look like he was about to move anytime soon with Aelita curled in sleep on top of him. Yumi broke the silence. "Jeremie, you know where I live right?" He pondered her question for a second then understanding burst in his eyes and he nodded. "Alright then, try to be quiet when you drop her off. I'm going to make sure Ulrich and Odd get back safely."

The trio walked back towards Kadic Academy, leaving a slightly bemused boy sitting in water. Jeremie watched the fountain flow for fifteen minutes while lost in thought about the girl on top of him. Aelita stirred, wondering why she was still laying on Jeremie. _'Oops. I think I fell asleep. Guess I conked out faster than I thought possible.'_ Feigning sleep, Aelita relished the feeling of Jeremie's arms as he daydreamed. After a little while, his hand brushed back her hair and his whispered "Aelita. Time to get up." made her sigh with regret.

Her muscles complained at having to work at such a late hour but Aelita managed to stand up and leave the fountain. A cold breeze ruffled her sodden clothing and Aelita shivered. Snuggling close to Jeremie, the pink haired girl found the warmth she was looking for. Resting her head on his shoulder while he slipped a hand about her waist, the couple walked under the glowing stars back to the city.

The trip towards Yumi's house flickered by far too fast. Her time with him was drawing to a close but Aelita smiled at the thought of more days to spend with Jeremie. _'Hopefully more days spent dry rather than soaked!'_ They reached the wrought-iron gate in front of Yumi's dark living space and Aelita pulled away towards the path. "Thanks so much Jeremie. You truly gave me a gift I can never repay you for. Today was simply…magical."

Aelita put her hand on the gate. _'I really don't want to go just yet.'_ She tucks a stray strand of hair behind her ear and relishes the still-new sensation of touch. Feeling Jeremie draw closer, she turns around to face him. She knows that words will never be able to express the gratitude, happiness, and other emotions that roil inside her. Instead Aelita pours everything she feels into a bone-crushing hug. Jeremie groans in pain and she quickly loosens her hug. "Oh! I'm sorry, did I hurt you?"

"Nothing I can't handle Aelita. What was that for?" Jeremie asks as he rubs his back.

Aelita blushes just in time for a passing vehicle to reveal her crimson face. Jeremie laughs and pulls her closer to him. "Well, looks like I'm not the only one who does that a lot." For the third time that day the world dwindles down to nothing but his twinkling blue eyes. Seemingly of their own accord, Aelita's hands roam his shoulders and then start playing with his fine blond hair. Jeremie's grin widens.

"Interesting. We get to this point and I'm not blushing at all. Instead it's you!" says Jeremie. Aelita laughs and then gives him a sultry look. "You really think I couldn't make you blush somehow?" she replies.

A bit of the usual Jeremie creeps into his voice as he responds to that statement. "I-I-…well, I'm sure you could."

"In that case, let's put my boast to the test, shall we?" Aelita smirks and carefully explores his face with her hands. _'His skin is so smooth…and I said taste was the best sense? Touch is moving up…'_ Her smirk widens into a smile of delight as his skin turns pink under her hands. "Aha! There we go. Now, what do I win?" she whispers into his ear.

Jeremie cups her face in his hands and gazes steadily into her emerald eyes. Aelita's breathing speeds up the longer he stares at her. _'These human emotions mess with me but are so exhilarating.'_ She could already feel rationality begin to slip away. A loud honk from a passing car sends the two a foot into the air with fright as the outside world rushes in unpleasantly. Aelita begins to shake off the mental fog that Jeremie put her in and then decides against it.

'_Well, it's now or never.'_ Her composure mostly restored from the honking incident, Aelita puts her arms in their accustomed position around his neck and gazes back into that captivating face. "Let's not let another noise interrupt us this time." That was all that needed to be said as Jeremie leans down and presses his lips to hers. Aelita closed her eyes and focused solely on the delectable sensation.

She melted into him as all thought fled and time seemed to stretch out like a string. This was what she had wanted throughout a year of falling for him: to finally be human and with Jeremie. Unfortunately another all too human function, breathing, intervenes with her wish to kiss him forever. Aelita breaks away and chuckles at the completely stunned look in his eyes. "Not bad, eh?" Jeremie could only nod his agreement.

The flood of emotions within her receded and lethargy replaced it. Cracking a huge yawn, Aelita hangs onto Jeremie for support. "Aelita, you need to get some sleep. Slip quietly into the extra bedroom Yumi told you about alright? Don't need her parents getting angry at you for staying out so late."

Stifling another yawn with her hand, Aelita nods her head sleepily. _'Wow, today really took it out of me. Not that I'm complaining.'_ She kisses Jeremie again for a few seconds then gives him another hug. "Good night Jeremie. See you tomorrow." Jeremie snaps back to reality and walks toward Kadic Academy. "Good night, princess." Aelita smiles at the term of endearment and slips through the iron gate towards the house.

She tiptoes to her room, having to cover her mouth several times to keep from yawning loudly. Aelita is too tired to even bother changing out of her damp clothes and crashes onto the soft bed. _'Oh this feels so good. This day definitely got a whole lot better after lunch.'_ Sleep finds her with a smile on her face and curled under the sheets. Her first dreams are dreams of Jeremie.


	7. Chapter 7

**Disclaimer: **Sissi waylaid me after school so I didn't have time to head to Moonscoop for the ownership rights. No, I don't own Code Lyoko.

Oblivion recedes from Aelita's mind as a hand pushes against her shoulder. "Hey! Wake up sleepyhead. I've been trying for five minutes here." Yumi complains but then smiles. Aelita moans and waves her hand at Yumi to go away before thrusting her head under the pillow. "I see our little minx got little sleep last night, eh?"

That last comment snaps Aelita awake and into another blush. She sits up and tries to blink the sleep from her eyes but fails miserably. Yumi laughs as her barb scored a hit. "Ha! So you did have some fun last night. Good for you, now get ready. Its nearly 10." The Japanese girl heads for the door but stops. "So…what happened between you and Jeremie last night? I'm curious. I've always wondered if Jeremie had the guts to let you know how he feels."

Aelita yawns before answering. "That's for me to know and you to find out. Now shoo so I can get cleaned up." She winks at Yumi before pushing the frustrated girl out the door. _'Sleep is definitely one of my favorite things now. Unfortunately it makes waking up so much harder.'_ She grabs her towel and outfit for the day before heading for a relaxing shower.

After a good fifteen minutes in the shower Aelita finally feels somewhat alive._ 'Not quite as fun as the fountain last night though. Jeremie tends to make everything better. Hey! Snap out of it.'_ In her excitement for breakfast she almost trips down the stairs. Her imagination conjures all the delicious breakfast items that she could feast on but is sadly disappointed by the simple bowl of cereal put in front of her. Aelita shrugs and digs in anyway. _'It's still good. Nothing on bacon sadly.'_

"What are your plans for the day, girls?" asks Yumi's mom. Yumi looks at Aelita and responds, "Probably hanging with friends for a while. Not sure, why?"

"Oh no specific reason. I was just curious. You do spend a lot of time with that Ulrich boy don't you?"

Yumi's face turns slightly crimson. Aelita smirks while finishing off the milk left in her bowl. "I-I…well he's my friend."

Her mom flashes a knowing smile then returns to her knitting. "Alright. Have a good time and be back somewhat early."

Before heading out the door, Yumi lets out a gasp and suddenly storms up the stairs. Aelita starts to follow her but Yumi rushes down the stairs a few seconds later. "I almost forgot! Here is Jeremie's gift for you that I was supposed to give you last night." She hands Aelita a pink cell phone. "He already programmed our numbers in there for you and at least he's smart enough to know that pink is your thing."

Aelita lets out a cry of delight and hugs Yumi. "Thank you all so much! You have done too much for me already."

Yumi opens the door and replies, "Hey, don't thank me. Jeremie's the one who did all the odd jobs to pay for it. I'm sure you already know a way to show your gratitude towards him." Aelita blushes again and nods. "Off we go, we're supposed to be meeting the others at the factory. Actually…you can thank me by filling me in on the scoop from last night."

Aelita sighs and nods. "Oh fine. I'll tell you how it went on the way."

They arrive at the factory after a brisk walk and a lot of conversation. Aelita becomes a little flustered at the thought of being with Jeremie so soon but Yumi assures her it will be perfectly fine. _'I wonder what he's going to do after last night with the group here.'_ The elevator doors open and as usual Jeremie is frantically typing away while Ulrich and Odd chat. _'Time to be a little mischievous.'_ Aelita mouths at the others to be quiet and sneaks up on Jeremie while Yumi joins the two boys in the corner.

She tiptoes behind his chair. There was no point worrying about him hearing her since the clattering of the keys drowned out almost everything else, as if his total concentration didn't already blind him to the world. Aelita knew exactly where he was ticklish: right above his kidneys. A chuckle escaped her throat as her hands went around the chair and hit Jeremie's ticklish spots. "Aelita! Wha-aha…what are you doing?" His question fades to incoherent laughing as he squirms in the chair at her mercy.

'_Alright. He's had enough.'_ Aelita retracts her hands after a minute or so. "You really need to pay attention to more than just the computer. Perhaps me?" she teases. Jeremie recovers a little and notices his girl is still standing right behind him. Spinning the chair around, he pulls her by the waist into him. She squawks in surprise but quickly arranges herself comfortably in his lap for a kiss. As usual she loses herself in the sensation until Ulrich clears his throat 30 seconds later. Yumi gives her a wink when Aelita pulls back and fixes her hair. "Thanks for the phone Jeremie."

"No problem at all Aelita. I can't talk to you in the computer all day so we need an alternative method. Besides, if that's the thanks I get for a mere phone…" Jeremie grins and steals another kiss while Odd rolls his eyes.

Resting her head on his shoulder, she watches the group gather around the supercomputer. _'I could relax here forever.'_ As though something was determined to prove her thoughts wrong, the super computer let out a shrill whine. Jeremie spun the chair back around and brought up the super scan. "Looks like our good friend X.A.N.A. activated a tower. No wait, two towers! It's a trap! But which one…"

"Head for the scanners. We'll decide on what to do once I finish the monster scan in the surrounding area." Jeremie puts his headset back on and initiates the virtualization program he was so familiar with now. The other four sprint into the elevator and descend into the scanner room.

Aelita bids the Earth farewell as the light surrounds her and the familiar surroundings of Lyoko encompass her once more. She immediately notices the jarring loss of touch and wonders how her friends manage. Jeremie's panicked voice reaches her ears. "Aelita! Do you feel any different right now?"

"No, I'm normal besides the loss of touch. Why?" A sense of worry starts to build in her.

"The computer picked up a serious error in your transfer procedure. Hold on, I'll try to locate the source." The clacking of keys accompanied her friend's concerned glances. "Here it is. Apparently X.A.N.A. sent you a gift during the materialization. He inserted a virus into your code and I have no idea what it does. We'll examine it later, for now get to the Ice Sector tower. Both towers have equal protection but this one is closer."

Dropping her worry about the virus for the challenges ahead, Aelita runs with the group towards a glowing tower on the edge of the Ice Sector. "Alright Jeremie, we're here. What do we have facing us?"

Jeremie runs through the monster scan. "Three Krabes and two Megatanks. Be careful, you know the drill." The Lyoko warriors nod and run towards the tower while Aelita observes from an icy hill. _'Looks like I hang back as usual. I hate being helpless.'_ The Megatanks turn and open their impenetrable armor to release a deadly wave of energy towards the oncoming threat. Odd and Yumi dive to the side while Ulrich shelters behind a glacier.

Alerted by the Megatank fire, the three Krabes charge the defensive warriors. Ulrich yells as a Krabe releases a laser burst into his chest. "80 points left Ulrich." Jeremie calls while looking over the virus. Odd shoots three silver arrows at the Krabe battling Ulrich and laughs at the resulting explosion. "One down! There's more of my joy where that came from!" Distracted as usual, Odd is sent skidding along the ice into a wall from a Megatank beam. "Odd, you know those things hit insanely hard. 40 points left for you now." Jeremie warns.

The second Megatank gives Odd no time to react as another beam strikes him a second later. Odd flickers out of existence and back onto Earth with a scream of frustration. Yumi's fan gets a taste of revenge from slicing a Megatank in half. The remaining Megatank closes itself up and rolls straight towards Ulrich, who actually jumps over it. Not realizing how slick the ice is, the Megatank is unable to stop and falls into the Digital Sea. "Nice dodge Ulrich! Now let's have some seafood for lunch." Yumi calls while flicking two more fans towards the advancing Krabes.

Seeing their impending doom approaching, the Krabes release a barrage of laser fire on the duo. Three shots strike Ulrich and Yumi in the chest before the fans eradicate the two beasts. "Ulrich you're down to 50 and Yumi has 70. Stop taking risks!" Jeremie commands.

Aelita, engrossed in the battle on the nearby glacier, receives a rude awakening in the form of an icy beam freezing her in her tracks. Two Blocks stealthily snuck up on her while she cheered and worried for her friends. Their combined lasers shatter her icy prison but inflict massive damage as sparks play around her form. Aelita dives between the two Blocks as they fire again, taking each other out. _'At least they're still stupid.'_ The elfin girl tucks a stray hair back into place and runs for the cleared tower. "Jeremie, how many points did that ambush drop me by?"

"Umm…you're now at 40. Ulrich and Yumi will escort you to the next tower. If need be I'll come to Lyoko to fight."

"Really? But why after a year would you come now?" Aelita asks.

"I'll do anything for you, princess." Jeremie replies without hesitation.

Aelita laughs in joy and runs into the activated tower. "How sweet. I'll thank you for that later. For now I'm going to get the first tower out of the way." She flips up to the top platform and accesses the tower interface. AELITA. CODE: LYOKO. The tower deactivates and its aura changes to the peaceful white of inactivity.

"I look forward to it." Aelita could hear the smile in his voice and smirks. _'Oh, he's going to like it indeed.'_ "The second tower is in the Mountain Sector. There's a waytower about a couple minutes to your east. Get going and I'll study the virus a little more." The three remaining warriors sprint into the tower and surf Lyoko's code into the next battle.


	8. Chapter 8

**Disclaimer: **Kiwi stole my speech notes for the copyright hearing. No, I don't own Code Lyoko.

"Jeremie, any news on the virus?" Aelita asks as she pushes through the waytower wall into the open space of Lyoko. Ulrich and Yumi follow her into the Mountain Sector.

"It connects you and X.A.N.A. somehow. This thing is extremely complicated; I need a good week focusing on this. Heads up! The tower is guarded by a Megatank and 4 Krabes." Jeremie cracks his knuckles as he peers at the incoming monsters on the super computer screen with worry.

Ulrich raises a hand to stop the group. "We need some sort of plan. Rushing in will cost us dearly at this point. Any suggestions?" Aelita ponders the distant tower for a few seconds.

She opens her mouth to reply, "Well, splitting the monsters apart could work. If Ulrich uses his Super Sprint to lure the Megatank away from the Krabes then we have an easier time of it."

Jeremie joins in with his agreement. "That will divide X.A.N.A.'s forces and maybe even drop the Megatank into the Digital Sea."

Ulrich nods at the group and unleashes his Super Sprint. He runs circles around the bewildered Krabes until the Megatank moves towards him. Seizing the opportunity, Ulrich heads for the edge of the glacier while the Megatank rolls behind. Yumi flicks a fan towards the nearest Krabe and smiles as it explodes. "So far so good, let's get some more sushi!"

Aelita jumps up onto a ledge overlooking the tower and wonders if she can do anything. _'I could distract a Krabe if need be. 40 life points left is a problem though.'_ Waiting is her only option at the moment. She spies Ulrich zigzagging back and forth to get the Megatank over the edge. _'He will be fine and Yumi's shredding those Krabes easily.'_ Her confidence in them morphs into horror as the battle takes a disastrous turn.

Two Krabes keep Yumi spinning through the air to dodge their lasers while the third Krabe aids the Megatank. Ulrich is too focused on drawing the tank into a fatal charge to notice the pincer swipe that catches him across the chest and smacks him into the ground. Ulrich realizes his mistake too late as the Megatank finally charges.

The black ball catches him in the chest and catapults both of them off the precipice. Screaming in fear, the samurai slips into the surface of the Digital Sea. Two thundering pillars of light skyrocket upwards as the battlefield temporarily stills. Yumi stops to watch the pillars fade from existence and yells her rage. "Ulrich, no! You bastards are going to pay!" A sheen of madness covers her eyes as she hurls her gleaming fans at the closest Krabe. Standing stock still, the grief-stricken geisha is blasted out of existence by the three Krabes just before the fans shred their target.

Yumi falls out of the scanner sobbing uncontrollably. Odd rushes down to the room and holds her tight, trying to stem the flood of tears. Jeremie's heart wrenches at the loss of Ulrich but an idea blazes in his head. "Yes! The materialization program is still around. I can recalibrate it in an hour or so to pull back Ulrich." Jeremie's euphoria dies as fast as it came due to the two Krabes advancing on a helpless Aelita. His face hardens in resolve.

"Odd! Get up here and hit the enter key when I say so. I'm going in. We have to stop this tower or all is lost." Odd gazes at his blond friend with concern.

"Are you sure about this?" he asks quietly.

"Yes. She's the only thing I can't afford to lose. Now hit the key when I enter the scanner and the program will do the rest." With that said Jeremie walks into the elevator and calmly descends into the scanner room. Instead of the usual nervousness that accompanies his thoughts of entering Lyoko, an unwavering determination fills Jeremie. The scanner surrounds him with its white light when Odd hits the key.

X.A.N.A. chuckles with delight when he feels the new entity enter Lyoko. Finally he had his two greatest enemies utterly vulnerable. _'Let the two weaken themselves even further before I reveal my ace in the hole.'_ He focuses his might to create a deadly specter on Earth and a new being on Lyoko to utterly crush the pathetic humans.

Jeremie lands on the ground with a thud and immediately feels disconcerted. This lack of touch really was bothersome. He looks down at himself and gasps. In his left hand was a long spear bladed at both ends crackling with blue coils of electricity. He was wearing a dark blue shirt and shorts with a black cloak flowing down his back. Emblazoned in the center of the cloak, a pink X.A.N.A. symbol shines. "I wonder what I can do." Jeremie raises his right hand and fires a sphere of blue energy into a nearby stalagmite. The resulting explosion sends bits of debris skittering across the ground. He laughs in delight and runs towards Aelita's position.

Exhausted from dodging laser fire, Aelita doesn't move in time to avoid the latest barrage. Sparks fly from her injured shoulder as she loses another 10 points. _'Down to 20, is this the end? I'm trapped against the wall with two Krabes on me.'_ A distant explosion distracts the crustaceans and Aelita runs in between the two towards the open glacier. She stops as a strange figure approaches her. "Jeremie, who is that?"

Odd's voice replies and she gasps with shock. "It's your boyfriend here to save the day!"

Jeremie smiles with unbelievable warmth as he views Aelita for the first time on Lyoko. His attention focused on Aelita, Jeremie casually raises his hand and fires an energy blast at one of the advancing Krabes. It fails to dodge and spews its remains across the icy floor. The remaining Krabe shoots Aelita in the back and she falls to the ground with a cry of pain. Jeremie jumps over her prone form and deflects the next laser with the strange spear back at the monster, which dies. The threat dispersed, Jeremie picks up Aelita and sprints for the tower.

Odd hears a strange noise behind him and looks up from the super computer monitor. A specter sends an arc of electricity into the boy and he crashes into the wall. Yumi grabs a steel pole and swings at the ghostly monster but hits nothing but air. Another bolt of energy strikes Odd in the chest. "Hurry Jeremie! We don't have much ti-arrghh." The steel pole wrenches itself out of her hands and shatters Yumi's arm. Panting with pain, Yumi drops to her knees and the pole sends her into darkness with a blow to the side of her head.

The two on Lyoko reach the tower and Jeremie sets Aelita down. "Go princess. Deactivate it." Aelita sways on her feet and feels Jeremie's body tackle her to the ground.

"What was that?" she yells as she gets up and turns towards the tower. A surge of weakness puts her to her knees again.

"Something shot me. Just stay back." Jeremie looks around but sees an endless view of ice and water in varying shades of blue. Suddenly a shadow appears above them as a Krabe drops out of the sky and rests a pincer on Aelita's chest. She screams in surprise at the monster above.

Jeremie jumps back in fright. "Wha-How did a monster fall out of the sky? Aelita! Are you alright?"

Aelita struggles to move but knows that it's hopeless. If Jeremie attacks the Krabe then she will die to the pincer resting on her stomach. _'X.A.N.A. might have nabbed victory here.'_ Jeremie paces in front of the watching Krabe as he racks his brain for a solution. A soulless laugh erupts behind him.

Odd stirs from the corner. Pain rushes through his body but with an extreme effort of will the boy stands. Yumi cries out as a sickening blow to her head topples her over. Before the specter can finish her, Odd screams a battle cry and grabs the steel pole. The specter almost seems to disdain his puny efforts at resistance and then strikes him with yet another blast. With no strength to recover, Odd slips into unconsciousness. The specter pulses with a dark glow before eradicating the two humans.

Jeremie faces a giant jellyfish-like monster with long trailing tentacles. "What is this?" The jellyfish resonates with evil as X.A.N.A. answers him.

"This is my newest creation. My scheme worked out exactly as planned. You only have one choice. There is no way out. There is no way to outsmart me. There is only your death. Your girlfriend can live if you submit to the Scyphazoa. Otherwise her code will be vanishing shortly. I give you 10 seconds to decide."

"What about Odd and Yumi?" Jeremie asks desperately. The Scyphazoa drifts closer.

"Already gone. Aelita joins them if you resist." Jeremie is filled with despair as he makes his decision.

The spear falls to the ground with a clatter as Jeremie sinks to his knees. He whispers, "I'm sorry Aelita. I failed you." The jellyfish wraps its tentacles around the vanquished boy and lifts him into the air. Aelita screams with despair and hate as her love is surrounded with a red glow. "What are you doing to him!"

"Simply extracting his code for my personal use. With the teeny tiny side effect of his deletion. You see, his unconscious mirrored you almost exactly. Including true death with a devirtualization here." Jeremie's lifepoints slowly drain away in the tentacles' grip.

Aelita struggles with all her might but the pincer keeps her firmly in place. Her anguish is more than she can hold yet it increases as eternal seconds drag by. Finally she stills as Aelita accepts defeat as inevitable. In that moment her true self shatters beyond repair. The life in her eyes dims while the pink stripes under her eyes darken in color until they eat all light.

The red glow intensifies as the jellyfish finishes its siphon. Pinpricks of light erupt across Jeremie after the Scyphazoa releases him and floats higher into the sky. Jeremie gazes at the stricken face of Aelita and sorrow flashes in his eyes. A smile grows across his face for the last time before he gasps out, "Aelita, I always will love you."

"And I will always love you." She stretches her hand towards him as the cracks of blazing light envelop Jeremie. With a thunderous crash Jeremie splinters into millions of glowing fragments that turn Lyoko into the most beautiful display of light for an instant before vanishing. The pincer releases her and Aelita immediately runs for the edge and flings herself off. _'There's no reason to exist anymore.'_ The virtual liquid envelops her.

She opens her eyes in the activated tower. "No! This is impossible!"

"Certainly not. You will find that there is no way for you to escape existence on Lyoko. You are stuck here for as long as I want you to be. Unless of course you join me in eradicating the humans." X.A.N.A. replies.

"Never! Not after what you did to my friends!" Aelita immediately screams back.

"So be it. Enjoy your memories." The voice fades from existence as Aelita curls into a ball and releases her bottomless sorrow.

**-End Flashback-**

Aelita shakily opens her eyes to find X.A.N.A. still standing above her. _'That recollection took me along for the ride. How long did it last?'_ The lingering feeling of the kiss on her lips no longer scares her. It reminds Aelita of the first kiss in all of its sweet sensation. Reliving those memories had fortified her with renewed strength even if the end was horrendous. She pulls herself to her feet and smiles at the shock that flares in the clone's eyes.

"What? How did you survive the experience twice?" he asks.

"Simple. You misjudged how strong emotions are. My heart will remain forever broken because of your actions but that same love keeps me sustained." Aelita shudders as a strange power courses through her body. _'I haven't felt this alive since the day he died.'_

X.A.N.A, wary of any tricks, takes a step back. "Looks like you're going to defy me yet again. I'll leave you to the consequences of your actions once more." Before he can leave Lyoko, Aelita cries out and falls to the ground. The Jeremie clone stops and watches the spectacle. When she stands up this time the stripes under her eyes are no longer black. Instead they flicker with a radiant pink glow and tinges of red.

Her emerald eyes pierce X.A.N.A. They are flooded with light and electricity crackles around her pupils. Aelita feels the euphoria of this power and knows it is love. The pure love she had for Jeremie and her friends before the corruption of hatred and despair. She raises her hand as a red cloak materializes on her back with an electric blue X.A.N.A. symbol blazing on it.

"This cannot be! You somehow broke all my safeguards and manipulated Lyoko!" the evil AI yells in shock.

Aelita smiles grimly and sends a coruscating pink ball of energy into the Jeremie doppelganger. The AI tries to flee Lyoko but finds his escape routes blocked by the elfin girl. Blast after blast sinks into X.A.N.A. as Aelita vents a hundred years of justice. His code shakes apart under the unrelenting barrage and his true form is revealed. The black cloud hangs in the air before flashing toward its executioner.

"This is for you, my love." Aelita opens her mouth and releases a pure note of song into the air. The wave of sound barrels into the onrushing cloud and breaks its charge. Another immensely powerful vocalization rends X.A.N.A. apart. The dark specter releases an unearthly scream before vanishing. Aelita exults in her victory. Without warning an unendurable flood of agony rips through her insides. The scintillating pain forces her to the ground.

The strange manifestation of her love flickers out of existence as another pulse of pain flares through Aelita. Blackness eats at the edge of her vision. Her body begins to unravel in wisps of ethereal coding. _'So that's what the virus does.'_ In his death X.A.N.A. had ensured hers. An unseen presence gathers around the writhing form on Lyoko. The pain blissfully fades as Aelita feels a kiss on her cheek. "Jeremie…?" she pants.

The emerald eyes that had seen and endured so much slowly close. The haunted look of pain and loss fades from Aelita's face. Sighing, she releases her last breath through her parted lips. A final vision of phantasmal twisting towers of code fleeing her body greets her before darkness rushes in. A smile twitches on Aelita's face as a thought surfaces in her failing brain in addition with an emotion she hadn't truly felt in years.

'_I'm heading to Jeremie with…hope.' _All is still on Lyoko for eternity; its last inhabitant finally freed.


End file.
